Piqué sees Manchester City as top five in the world side

Barcelona (FCB).- In the press conference ahead of the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie, Gerard Piqué has declared that he expects a “similar game” to the one last season. He also added that despite the defeat in the Spanish League at the weekend, the Catalan team are in good form as well as highlighting Manchester City’s strengths.

Piqué on the Champions League tie: “I think it will be a similar game to last season. We are two sides who like to attack and have the ball. There was a key moment in the first leg with Demichelis' sending off and the goal from the penalty spot, without that it would have been closer.”

“Tomorrow will be a great game in a great stadium with great fans who will get behind them. I am sure that this team will get a good result and will play well. If you look back at two or three months ago, the team is in good shape, a defeat cannot make us doubt that. We have to do it again, it’s our job.”

The team’s form: “The defeat the other day was not as painful as the loss in Anoeta [against Real Sociedad]. When we had won 11 games in a row, nobody was talking about that. We will show that in upcoming games and we will get good results. “

“We are always in the hunt for the league title every year and in the Cup we have been fortunate enough to get to the semis or the final. In the Champions League this game is very difficult against a team that is top 5 in the world, it will be very difficult…..The most important thing in the short term for the team is to get to the quarter-finals.”

Piqué on individuals:

“Touré is a very, very important player. He was at Barça. Now he is a more attacking player. When he plays and when he doesn’t, there is a difference, but we just have to look at ourselves.”

“Silva is their most creative player. I know him from the national team and Valencia and he has tremendous technical quality.”

“Mascherano and Sergio Busquets are two of the best defensive midfielders. One is more tactical and positional and has the best first touch and short pass. The other is capable of working hard and pressuring like nobody else.”